ACC Atlantic

It is the position where Boston College has struggled the most over the past few years. Wade will be challenged by redshirt freshman Anthony Brown, but the junior will probably start and be the key to improving the Eagles’ offense.

Defense: Lukas Dennis, Defensive Back

A junior from Everett, Mass., Dennis is capable of playing multiple positions in the secondary. That alone makes him a valuable commodity, but a strong spring put him in position to be a starter at safety when the season opens.

The true freshman will not enter camp as the starter, but he will get an opportunity to win the job. The highest rated prep quarterback on the Clemson roster, Johnson better make hay right away with Trevor Lawrence – a quarterback with even more high school hype – coming in next year.

Defense: Trayvon Mullen, Cornerback

Mullen is long and athletic, possessing the physical attributes needed at his position. With Cordrea Tankersley at the next level, Mullen has a chance to be the next great Clemson cornerback.

Campbell came to Florida State as a five-star recruit but has done little so far, mostly due to injuries. He’s an athletic, big-bodied receiver that can change the complexion of the Seminoles’ offense if he can stay on the field.

Defense: Brian Burns, Defensive End

The Noles need to replace DeMarcus Walker at defensive end and the sophomore from Fort Lauderdale could be that guy. He needs to add some size and strength in order to hold up against the run, but he has sensational pass-rushing skills.

Much of the talent that surrounded quarterback Lamar Jackson in 2016 is no longer around and the Heisman winner needs some playmakers to emerge. One of those guys is Dawkins, a sophomore that had a big spring.

Defense: Trevon Young, Linebacker

Young had 8.5 sacks as a junior but missed all of 2016 following a hip injury in the 2015 Music City Bowl. If Young returns to form, he is a difference-maker for the Cardinals’ defense.

The first order of business for the Cuse this year is to keep quarterback Eric Dungey healthy. The Green Bay native that redshirted last year can play all along the front though he will probably line up at guard.

Defense: McKinley Williams, Defensive Tackle

The sophomore has put on the weight he needed to compete in the middle of the Orange defensive line. Williams had 14 tackles and a sack last season, numbers that should spike this fall.

The Demon Deacons hope that the junior wide receiver can provide a big-play threat for their combo of quarterbacks. If Lewis can take a step forward, he will form a nice receiving trio with slot man Tabari Hines and tight end Cam Serigne.

Defense: Jaboree Williams, Linebacker

It is unlikely that any one player will step up and completely fill the void left by Marquel Lee. But Williams has the most ability on the second level and will be asked to improve on his 36-tackle, two-sack performance of 2016.

ACC Coastal

Lisle played sparingly during his time at Ohio State. Now at Duke, the 6-foot-7, 308-pounder will probably be the starting right guard. Duke has some interesting skill weapons back, including quarterback Daniel Jones. If Lisle helps shore up the offensive line, head coach David Cutcliffe could have a pretty good offense.

Defense: Dylan Singleton, Safety

The sophomore came in as a consensus four-star prospect, choosing the Blue Devils over schools like Georgia, Ohio State, Auburn and Nebraska. With vacancies in the secondary, Singleton’s playing time should increase substantially.

With Dedrick Mills pounding the middle, big plays can be had to the outside. That’s where Lynch comes in. Lynch will get more chances this season after scoring eight touchdowns and averaging more than 17 yards on his 53 touches in 2016.

Defense: Anree Saint-Amour, Defensive End

Saint-Amour had just 16 tackles last fall. But four of those were sacks, showing that he has the ability to cause havoc. The Jackets had just 18 sacks as a team and 7.5 of those left when Patrick Gamble graduated, putting more pressure on Saint-Amour to produce this season.

Most expect Malik Rosier to be the starting quarterback for the season opener. But there’s a lot of buzz surrounding Perry, an exciting dual-threat option who impressed in spring drills.

Defense: Dee Delaney, Cornerback

An under-the-radar prospect out of high school, Delaney starred at The Citadel, where he was a two-time All-American. Following graduation, the Seabrook, S.C., product transferred to Miami. It will be interesting to see how this FCS standout transitions to the ACC.

Harris may be the ultimate wild card. He showed flashes every so often at LSU. But the talent never translated on a consistent level. He’s now at UNC, a team in desperate need of quality quarterback play with Mitchell Trubisky getting ready to play on Sundays.

Defense: Aaron Crawford, Defensive Tackle

Stopping the run has been a nightmare for the Heels in recent seasons. The 6-foot-1, 310-pound Crawford made an impact as a redshirt freshman in 2016. But with Nazair Jones gone, Crawford will have to do even more this year.

With James Conner out in 2015, freshman Ollison ran for 1,121 yards. Last year, with Conner back, Ollison had just 127 yards on the ground. It’s once again his job and head coach Pat Narduzzi would love to see the 2015 Ollison return.

Defense: Dwayne Hendrix, Defensive End

A huge recruit coming out of O’Fallon, Ill., Hendrix never thrived at Tennessee. He gets a new chance at Pitt and he has big shoes to fill with Ejuan Price finally gone after six years.

UVA’s offense was terrible last fall and the offensive line was a major part of the problem. The Cavs added three grad transfers, but for there to be significant improvement, Fieler must play well. With a lot of moving parts around him, the junior locked down a starting spot with a good spring.

Defense: Jordan Mack, Linebacker

Mack was a defensive back in high school that grew into a linebacker at UVA. Micah Kiser will get all sorts of attention this season, opening lanes for Mack to make plays.

An early enrollee, Farley was supposed to be a defensive back for the Hokies. By the end of spring ball, however, he was at wide receiver and turned many heads with his play. Receiver is a position where a freshman can contribute right away and receiver is an area where the Hokies need help.

Defense: Tim Settle, Defensive Tackle

The 6-foot-3, 328-pounder got his feet wet last season as a freshman and is now ready to make a bigger impact. Settle – a four-star prospect coming out of high school – will team with Ricky Walker in an attempt to replace the production of Woody Baron and Nigel Williams inside for the Hokies.

— Written by Jon Kinne, who is part of the Athlon Contributor Network and a college football fanatic. Kinne has been writing about recruiting for the Irish Sports Daily for 10 years. Follow him on Twitter @JonRKinne.